Container closure



Aug. 1, 1933. J YOUNG 1,920,287

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed July 10. 1929 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug.1,1933

CONTAINER CLOSURE John M. Young, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to AmericanCan- Company, Newv York, Corporation of New Jersey N. Y., a

Application July 10, 1929. Serial No. 377,142

4 Claims. (01. 220-42.) 2

This invention relates in general to containers and more particularly toa novel and improved hermetic end closure for containers, and the methodof applying the same. 7

An object of my invention is the provision of an improved hermeticend'closure of simple construction which utilizes the inherentelasticity of the metal of its depending flange to produce a permanentor inseparable connection between it and a portion of the container bodywhich has been'brought to a predeterminedsize.

Another object, of my invention is the provision of an end closure for acontainer which is applied to the latter byrforcing' or drivingadepending flange part having a relatively small internal diameter overa container part which has been brought to a predetermined size oflarger external diameter; thereby stretching the r'netal of the closureflange within its elastic limits over the sized container area toproduce a' permanent" connection therebetween. I

Another object of my invention is the pro vision of an end for acontainer which maybe 7 permanently applied to the container bodywithout interfolding of flange parts of body and 010- sure, without theuse of solder or other third securing agents and which can be madehermetic by the addition of a gasket or compound lining.

'Still another object of my'invention resides in the method of applyingmy improved drive fit closureby means of simple and inexpensive pressureclosing mechanisms. Numerous other objects and advantages of theinvention will be apparent asit is better understood from the followingdescription, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the 'drawingt I 7 Fig. 1 is a perspective View of one-typeof container to which my. invention is applicable.

Fig. 2 is an .elevational view of the container body with parts broken.away to showthe sizing of the body and the starting ofthe top curl bymeans of a diemechanism.

'Fig'. 3 is a view-similar to Fig. 2 showing the finishing of the topcurl by means of a die mechanism.

Fig. 4: is an elevational view of the container body and end closurepositioned between two pressure closing mechanisms.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section of part of the sized andcurledcontainer top and end closure before the end has been driven home, and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. Swith the end closure completelyassembled to the container top. 1

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of'my invention I have shown myimproved end closure applied to a well known type of sheet metalcontainer which comprises a cylindrical body 11 having a bottom end 12double seamed or otherwise permanently and hermetically secured thereto,and also having the usual side seam 13. V

The top closure 14 comprises, a drawn shell having a central sunkenpanel 15, a vertical wall part 16, a rounded shoulder or recess 17, anda depending annular flange or. skirt portion 18 of substantial width orvertical dimension (of "more than three sixteenths of an inch in width)7 0 to provide an adequate sealing area. When this shell is made from aone piece blank by a drawing die, its dimensions and especiallythediameter of its depending flange 18, which is adapted to come insealing; contact with the container 7 body, are accurately predeterminedby the dimensions of the die. I

To obtain the best sealing results from my improved closure it isdesirable to have the sealing area on the body of substantially accurate30 predetermined diameter proportioned to the internal diameter of thecover flange so as to attain the results herein described. This can bereadily accomplished by a slight necking-in of the upper part of thebody by die action, and one way of accomplishing this sizing of thecontainer body 11 is'illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein the container body isshown positioned between a support or lower chuck 19 and an upper chuckor ring die 21 having a cylindrical recess 22 of a diameter which isprecisely equal to the desired diameter of the annular sealing area 23of the container body 11, so that when the sizing die 21 is forced downupon a container body 11, which has been placed in concentric alignmentwith the recess 22; the container is brought to a predetermineddiameter, as by a slight necking-in of the said sealing area, to providea peripheral sealing area 23.

r It will be noted that the annular wall defining the cylindrical.recess 22 of the die 21 is substantially straight except at the topwhere it is bent inwardly for the purpose of forcing inwardly the upperedge of the container body 11 to start the inward. curling of the bodytop. This curling action is completed by another die 24 (shown in Fig.3) having a die face or recess 25 which conforms tothe outer surface ofthe finished curl 26 of the container body 11.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the finished and sized container body 11 isshown positioned upon a lowersupport or chuck 27, which may be thesamepart of the same machine as support 19, or may be part of anothermachine. The top closure 14, with the edge 28 of its depending flange 18touching the upper extremity of the sealing area 23 at the inward bendof the curl 26, is placed over the open container body and the closure14 is now ready to be forced 01' driven home over the body sealing area23 by means of an upper pressure member 2Q, actuated by any suitablemechanism (not shov'vn) engaging and pressing down upon the outer rim ofthe shoulder 17. Considerable pressure must be exerted by the member 29to vforce and stretch the metal of the depending flange 18 within itselastic. limits, which have.

been determined by experiment, about the body sealing area 23.

The outer diameter of the body sealing area having been predeterminedand made uniform and the inner diameter of the depending flange 18 alsobeing uniform and predetermined, the difference between these diameterscan be so regulated that the tightness of the sealing connection can besubstantially determined at will. In all cases, the inner diameter ofthe depending flange 18 is smaller than the outer diameter of thesealing area 23. How much smaller depends upon the weight or" the sheetmetal stock used and other varying or desired conditions. When theflange 18 has been fully'driven home over the body sealing area 23, themetal of the flange iShas been stretched and a tight metal to metal sealhas been created between the body and the closure which is permanent,that isto-say, the closure can only be removed and the container openedby cutting or mutilation of the closure, preferably y cutting out thesunken panel 15 by means of a suitable can opener, or otherwise.

The closure 14 may be made hermetic by placing a gasket or liningcompound 31 in the closure recess 17, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 5.

When the closure 14 is forced into sealing engagernentwith the can body,this lining compound or gasket 3i is squeezed between the top surface ofthe curl 26 of the body and the inner surface of the closure recess orchannel 17, and the closure 'is thus made both liquid and air tight. g

It should also be noted that instead of the die sized sheet metalcontainer body .11, a container body of glass or other solid materialhaving a sealing area of uniform predetermined size could be employed inconnection with my improved closure without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention. 1

It is thoughtthat the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of theparts, without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention, or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

the body there will be sufficient tensional stress in the flange and asufficient degree of compression in the can body as to produce apermanent and substantially inseparable bond between the can body endand the aforesaid cover-flange.

2. A sheet metal container having a peripherally curved body and cover,said cover having a depending flange devoid of inward projections anddesigned for application to said body, the surface of the body whichengages the cover being devoid of outward projections, the internaldiameter of the cover flange being so proportioned to the externaldiameter of the body at its end that when the aforesaid flange isapplied to the body'there will be suflicient tensional stress in theflange and a sufiicient degree or" compression in the can body as toproduce a permanent and substantially inseparable bond between the canbody end and the aforesaid coverflange, the said end of the body beingproportioned, independent of the rest of the body, to said internaldiameter of the cover flange;

3. A sheet metal container having a peripherally curved body and cover,said cover having a depending flange devoid of inward projections anddesigned for application to said body, the surface of the body whichengages the cover being devoid of outward projections, the internaldiameter of the cover flange being so proportioned to the externaldiameter of the body at its end that when the aforesaid flange isapplied to the body there will be suflicient tensional stress in theflange and a suflicient degree of compres sion in the can body as toproduce a permanent and substantially inseparable bond between the canbody end and the aforesaid cover-flange, the said'end of the body beingnecked-in and proportioned relative to said internal diameter of thecover flange. I

4. A sheet metal container having a peripherally curved body and cover,said cover having a depending flange devoid of inward projections anddesignedfor application to said body, the surface of the, body whichengages the cover being devoid of outward projections, the internaldiameter of the cover flange being so proportioned to the'externaldiameter of the body at its end that when the aforesaid flange isapplied to the body there will be suflicient tensional stress in theflange and-a sufiicient degree of compres sion in the can body'as toproduce a permanent and-substantially inseparable bond between the canbody end and the aforesaid cover-flange, the cover being provided with agasket.

7 JOHN M. YOUNG.

